Radio frequency identification (RFID) is employed in some very interesting ways today, but using the technology to make sure surgical materials aren’t left inside patients’ chest cavities following surgery just might be one of the coolest and most valuable applications—especially if you’re the one going under the knife. You may be surprised, but it’s not exactly uncommon for foreign objects to be left within patients’ chests following thoracic, or chest, surgeries. In fact, a 2003 New England Journal of Medicine study estimated such mistakes occur in 1 of every 1,000 to 1,500 interabdominal operations. And with a fall 2008 date set for when healthcare providers will stop receiving payment from Medicare for the removal of foreign object mistakenly sewn up inside patients, such providers are looking for systems to reduce these errors. And some are counting on RFID to get the job done, according to ChicagoTribune.com. Surgical sponges, which are made of gauze and are used to absorb blood or protect organs, are one of the objects most commonly left behind after surgery, the article says, probably because so many are used and they blend in once saturated. If left inside chest cavities, the sponges can lead to life-threatening infections. The RF-Detect system from Mundelein, Ill.-based Medline Industries helps health-care professionals keep tabs on all the surgical sponges employed during operations by using RFID tags embedded within them. A wand-like device is then waved over the surgery site to detect the RFID tags. The system adds $50 to $60 to each thoracic procedure, according to the article, but that’s peanuts compared to the costs of additional removal surgeries, which can cost upwards $50,000 a piece, and infection treatments—not to mention the costs of possible malpractice suits. Currently more than 50 hospitals have committed to or plan to trial the system over the coming two months, the Tribune article says. A nationwide rollout of RF-Detect is planned for this spring. So the next time you or someone you know goes under the knife, RFID technology could help to ensure their safe recovery. AS Related Links Mobile Phones to Transmit Vital Signs to Nurses Thanks to LG, Canadian Researchers Google May Help Doctors Diagnose Illness Health Care IT: The Right Dose of Technology Helps the Medicine Go Down Related content BrandPost Are tech layoffs inevitable, or can your company avoid them? Despite tech industry layoffs, one ITSM company remains committed to growth and expansion of internal teams. The company’s successful endeavor is largely credited to one difference between TOPdesk and other tech organizations. By TOPdesk Mar 30, 2023 6 mins IT Leadership Analysis CIOs must evolve to stave off existential threat to their role With LOB leaders learning tech faster than CIOs gain business-savvy, IT leaders must strengthen advisory skills, build relationships, and embrace strategic transformation before losing out to business counterparts. By Yashvendra Singh Mar 30, 2023 10 mins Roles Opinion 5 ways AI will transform CRM Recent announcements by Microsoft and Salesforce on how they’re ramping up integration of AI tools into their software offerings mark the start of a revolution in the CRM marketplace. By Martin De Saulles Mar 30, 2023 4 mins Channel Sales CRM Systems Artificial Intelligence Interview From CIO to CX SVP, Cisco’s Jacqueline Guichelaar takes a road less travelled By David Binning Mar 29, 2023 7 mins Careers IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe